Filling clamping and parting mechanism for shifting shuttle-box looms



y E. A. CUNNIFF FILLING CLAMPING AND PARTING MECHANISM FOR SHIFTINGSHUTTLE BOX LOOMS Filed Oct. 29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l lnvenTor. EdwardA. CunniFF ATTys.

' 1,62$,307 May 1927" E. A. CUNNIFF FILLING CLAMPING AND PARTINGMECHANISM FOR SHIFTING SHUTTLE BOX L OOMS Filed Oct. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet2 Fig.2.

lnvenTor.

Edward A. CunniH Aflys.

1,628 307 May 1927' ,E. A. CUNNIFF FILLING CLAMPING AND PARTINGMECHANISM FOR SHIFTING SHUTTLE BOX LOOMS il 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 82Fig.3.

- e3 49 30 4s 42 '50 54 75 I lls9 lnvenTor- Edward ACUnniFF byW ATTys.

1,628,307 May 1927 E. A. CUNNIFF FILLING CLAMPING AND PARTING MECHANISMFOR SHIFTING SHUTTLE BOX LOOMS Filed Oct. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4lnvenTor.

darfd A.CunniFF Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED, srares PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD CUNNIFF, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHl J'SETTS, ASSIGNOR T DBAPER COB-PORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, 'A COBPQRATION OF MAINE.

FILLING GLA'MPIN 'G AND PARTIN G MECHANISM FOR SHIFTING SHUTTLE-BOXLOOKS.

Application filed October 29, 1925. Serial No. 65,584.

In the weaving of cloth with a shifting shuttle box loom ora loomemploying a plurality of filling carriers, each of which isindependently active in the weaving operaare widely separated, the loops'of filling between" these stripes will be long. When more than twofilling carriers are employed,

these loops may overlap, may be of various lengths, and several mayextend along portions of-the selvage at the same time. When such loopsare formed, they must be removed fromthe selvage to make the fabricsalable and it"is diflicult, if not impossible,

to remove them by the usual singeing operations and it is laborious andexpensive to remove themby hand. Ina prior Patent, No. 514,603, November11, 1924,,1 provided means acting automatically during the weavingoperation by which such loops were first severed and then the ends out01f close to the selvage. v l

The objectcof the present invention is to provide means which preventsthe formation of such loops along the selvage.- In other words, thepresent invention, instead of permitting the formation of the,undesirable loops and then removing them, prevents their formation inthe first instance. v

The object of the invention is further to provide filling clamping andparting mechani sm located adjacent the selvage on the drop box sideof ashifting shuttle box loom and to cause this mechanism, after a shuttleisshifted from active to inactive position, toseize or clamp the fillingextending from i the selvage to the inactive shuttle-and to part thisfilling between the selvage and the point at which it is seized orclamped.

The object of the invention is further to provide a mechanism for thispurpose in a shifting shuttle box loomhaving any numberzof boxes andwhich-will operate upon any shift of these boxes in either direction..These' and other objects-and features of the invention will appear morefully from claims.

the accompanying description and drawings and W111 be particularlypointed out in the Since the present invention relates entirely to theprevention of the formation of loops along the selvage whichwouldotherwise result in the weaving operation upon the shiftmg of theboxes in a shifting shuttle box loom, and since the construction andoperapreferred form of construction embodying the present invention.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a shifting shuttle box loomof a well-known 4: X 1 type with a preferred form of the presentinvention adapted to such a type embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the loom shown in Fig. 1 andon a larger scale. f i V Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation andpartlallyin vertical cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 4 is a view similarito'Fig. 3 with the mechanism in a differentposition.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the-main port on of the constructionshown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation of one of theclam ing blades.

operated to swing forward and backward or toward and away from thebreast beain in the usualmanner-and carries, in the case illustrzited,the four shuttle boxes 4,5,6 and. 7 with their corresponding shuttles 89, 10

and 1 1, each provided with a suitable filling carrier. guided forvertical bodily movement on the la and are supported on the'lifting rod12,

w ich is guided near its lower end in a guide-- The shuttle boxes aresuitably 13 carried by an arm let extended from the usual lay rockershaft so that the lifter rod swings backward and forward with the lay.At its lower end the lifter rod carries a stud 15 to which is pivoted anarm 16 having pivotally connected to its upper end at 17 another arm 18.The arms 16 and 18 are held together by a spring 19. At the point wherethe arms 16 and l8 contact, each is provided with half of a bearing fora stud 20 at the end of the lever 21 of the usual box motion. Thedetails of such a box motion it is unnecessary to illustrate anddescribe, but there is herein shown the usual star gear 22 having amovement of rotation on the shaft 23 every two picks, the front shaft24-, the back shaft 25, the gears 26 and 27 provided with blank teethand carried by the front and back shafts respectively and the eccentricconnections between these gears and the lever 21. As is well-known, thegears 26 and 27 are shifted into and out of cooperation with the stargear 22 by suitable automatic or pattern mechanism, so that the lever 21is rocked to shift the rod 12 and bring any one of the boxes intoposition to render its shuttle active in the weaving operation, thusrendering the previously active shuttle inactive. The only detail in theconstruction and operation of this box motion of consequence inconnection with the disclosure of the present invention is the arm 16.This arm is conveniently utilized as an actuating element of themechanism illustrated because it is conveniently located and moves withthe boxes so that its movement is exactly proportionate to the movementof the boxes in shifting from one position to another.

In the construction illustrated, the clamping and parting elements forthe filling are separate instrumentalities separately operated, but thisis simply for convenience and any suitable arrangement may be employedwithin the scope of the invention.

The filling pal-tin elements are shown as an ordinary type of devicesuch as is e1nbodied in a thread cutting temple. Such a temple 28 isshown provided with the usual shank'29 sliding in the stand 30adjustably secured to the breast beam by the screws 31. The temple isyieldingly pro ected rearward 1y by a spring, not shown in the stand 30in accordance with the usual practice, and a heel 32 projectingdownwardly from the temple, when struck by the lay, causes the temple tomove forwardly to an extent'determined by the character of the materialwoven.

The parting mechanism, which is shown as of the type disclosed in thepatent to Stimp son No. 1,366,03sl, January 18, 1921, is mounted in thetemple closely adjacent the path of the selvage 33 and comprises a fixedcutter blade at the rear face of the temple and a mariner hook-shapedblade 34 forming part of a movable cutter member rocking vertically andsliding longitudinally in a slot in the temple. This cutter member isprovided with a depending heel 35. A spring 36, engaging at its lowerend a stud 37 on the heel and at its upper end a stud 38 on the temple,acts to maintain the movable cutter member in its rearward openprojected position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4-. When the lay heats up itstrikes the heel 35,-rocking the movable cutter member downwardly andcarrying it forwardly so that any filling extending in its field ofaction is caught be tween the hooked blade 3 1 and the fixed blade andsevered close to the selvage, all in a well known and familiar manner.

The mechanism for seizing, retaining or clamping the filling extendingto a filling carrier or shuttle which has been shifted to inactiveposition is also positioned adjacent the selvage and close to theparting mechanism. In the particular form of the invention hereinillustrated, this clamping mechanism is normally located out of positionto receive the fillingvor in a position well forward of the fell andwith the clamping' members closed. Upon the shifting of the shuttleboxes the clamping mechanism is automatically moved into a position toreceive the filling or into a position slightly in. advance of the fellwith the clamping members open. Upon the conclusion of the beat-up afterthe shifting of the boxes, this clamping mechanism is closed to clampthe filling extending to the shuttle shifted to lot) inactive positionand is then moved bodily forward to itsnormal position. In theconstruction illustrated, the clamping mechanism is conveniently mountedin a twopart support comprising the plates 39 and all. This support isrigidly mounted, in this case, by means of a bracket 4 1 extending fromthe upper plate 39 and adjustably secured by the screws 42 to the templestand. 30. The plates 39 and l0 are secured together by the screws 43and are formed to present a central, longitudinal guideway. In thisguideway is mounted the slide bar 44 which is cylindrical at its forwardend and preferably rectangular at itsrear sec- Ill) tion l5. A helicalspring 46 located in the channel of the support abuts against a shoulderat the forward end of the support and against the end of the rectangularsection 15 at the rear so that this s )ring acts normally to project theslide ar rearwardly. The slide bar is held in its forward position by alatch shown as a lever 17 fulcrumed at 4:8 in the bifurcated portion ofthe slide bar 45. provided with a downwardly projected stud 50 adaptedto fit in a hole 51 in the top plate 39 of the support. A spring 52connected to the arm 49 passes down through a hole The forward arm 49 ofthis lever is" in the section of the slide bar and connects to a finger53 extending from an-arn1 54 rigid with the slide-bar. This spring actsto hold the latch in locking position with the stud in engagement withthe hole 51 when the slide bar is retracted or in its normal position.

The arm 54 extends downwardly from the slide ,bar and then rearwardly'alongside and adjacent the selvage and close to the temple. This arm atits rearward end is flared and provided with a central notch or recessinto which the filling is guided by the flared end. The clampingmechanism proper is conveniently secured to this arm 54 and comprisestwo fixed blades 55 and 56 with an interposed "movable blade 57,

' operating after the manner of shears. The

fixed blades 55 and 56 are the same in construction and are preferablymade of some :blades is illustrated in Fig. 6 and it will be noted thatthe forward end is provided at I the top edge with fine notches'slopingdownwardly and rearwardly. These notches assist in retainingthe filling.If desired, one or more of the clamping blades may be faced or coveredwith felt or other suitable adherent material for this purpose. movableblade '57 is preferably of metal {such as"steel. The blades are mountedupon a screw stud 59 extending into the arm 54 with a spring 60 seatedbeneath the head 1 of the stud 59 and: acting to press the bladestogether and against the arm 54. A second stud 61 connects the forwardend of the fixed blades 55 and 56 and extends through a large hole inthe movable blade 57 and is also secured. in the arm 54. The movableblade extends forwardly and is provided with a depending heel 62 and anupwardly extending arm 63 provided with a projection 64 extendinglaterally over there-arward arm 65 of the latch lever 47. The pressureexerted by the spring 60 is such that the clamping mechanism is firmlyheld frictionally either in open or closed position.

The operation of the clamping mechanism will now be apparent. Normallythe parts stand as shown in \Figsf2 and 3 with the slide bar in itsforward position and locked in this position by the latch arm 49, thusholding the clamping mechanism in its forward position or'out ofposition to receive filling. In this position the clamping members areclosed so as to hold clamped any fillin which has previouslybeenpositioned in t e clamping mechanism. The arm 63 standssubstantially vertically infthis position withthe projection 64 aboveand free from the arm .65 of the latch lever. In order to bringi'theclamping mechanism into position to receive filling, it is onlynecessary to depress the arm 63. When thus depressed, this arm acts as alatch release because the projection 64: coming into contact with thearm 65 of the latch rocks the latch about its fulcrum, withdrawing thestud 50 from the hole 51 and thus allowing the entire clamping mechanismto be projected rea'rwardly or into the position .shown in Fig. 4. Butthe depression of the ing of the shuttle boxes so that whenever 1 thereis a shift of the shuttle boxes in either direction to shift an activeshuttle to inactive position and bring an inactive shuttle into activeposition, the clamping mechanism is opened and rojected rearwardly. Inthe construction illustrated, since the shift of the boxes takes placebefore the conclusion of the beat-up of the lay, the

clamping mechanism is thus projected rearwardly and in open position toreceive the filling extending from the selvage to the shuttle which hasjust been shifted to inactive position. Consequently as the layconcludes its beat-up and this filling is beaten in, the clampingmechanism is closed and moved to its forward position by the lay thusseizing and clamping adjacent the selvage the filling extending to theinactive shuttle. The clamping mechanism is conveniently pushed forwardby a hunter 66 on the lay which strikes the heel 62, rockingthe'lnovable clamping member into closed position and then carrying theentire clamping mechanism forward .until it is caught and locked by thelatch arm 49.

The, filling is crowded by the movable blade 57 down in between thefixed blades and 56. The filling will usually stay in The bold upon thefilling is aided by the fact that the fixed blades are of fibre board orsome similar soft material and preferably also by the serrationsor'slots' 58 into which the filling is also crowded. Consequently, whenthere are a plurality of shuttles in inactive position, as, for example,three in the present case, the filling will not be released from theclamping mechanism by the o ening of the mechanism and .its projectionto rearward position.

W hen the clamping mechanism has returned to its forward positionholding the filling extending to the shuttle just rendered end 82 toextend above the latch '("7 inactive, the filling extending from theclamping mechanism to the tell is then, or

1 is still held as this pick is laid.

Various forms of mechanism may be provided for operating the latchrelease whenever a shift of the shuttle boxes takes place and a simpleand preferred construction for that purpose is illustrated. An actuatorin the form of a rod 67 is mounted for vertical reciprocation inbearings 68 and 69 on the loom side 1. The arm 70 rigidly connected tothe arm 16 of the box motion extends forward and has a semi-universalconnection with the rod 67. This is secured by having the arm slide in amember 71 pivoted at 72 in a sleeve 73 adjustably secured by a set screw74.- on the rod 67. Thus it will be seen that the actuator or rod 67 isconnected to the box shitting mechanism and actuated thereby to moveproportionately with the shifting movement of the boxes.

The rod 67 has secured thereto and projecting laterally therefrom inparallelism a plurality of striker arms, one less in numher than theboxes, and these striker arms are spaced apart a distance equal to oneunit of movement of the rod. There being four boxes in the loomillustrated, there are three of these striker arms 75 secured to the rodby the set screw 76. At their free ends these striker arms move in a;path intersecting a switch 77 pivotally mounted at 78 on the latchrelease 63L This switch, when a striker arm is moved downwardly againstit, releases the latch 49, and when the striker arms move .upwardly,this switch moves on its pivot to allow the passage of the striker arms.Consequently, whenever there is a downward shift of the boxes, thesestriker arms eifect the release of the latch.

In order to provide for the release of the latch upon an upward shift ofthe boxes, further mechanism is necessary, and for that purpose a'converter lever is shown fulcrumed at 79 on a standard 80 projectingupwardly fromthe breast beam. This converter lever has one arm 81 bentat its and is normally held in this position by'a spring 83 extendingfrom the other arm 84.- of the lever to the standard 80 and-holding thethe striker arms 75.

eeann? ard. A second switch 86 is iulcrumed at 87 on the arm 84 of theconverter lever and.

extends into the path of the branches 88 of This switch 86 is normallyheld in active position by the same spring 83 that holds the converterlever in place. It will thus be seen, that whenever the boxes areshifted upwardly, one of the branches 88 of the striker arms will ngagethe switch-device 86 and rock the converter leverto depress the latchrelease 63, and that whenever the boxes areshifted downwardly, theswitch 86 will move on its pivot to allow the passage of the strikerarms.

Thus whenever a shift of the shuttle boxes takes place in eitherdirection, the mechanism described and illustrated, either through thedirect action of the striker arms or through the action of the strikerarms transmitted through the converter lever, will depress the latchrelease 63 swinging the clamping mechanism to open position, releas ingthe latch arm 49 and permitting the spring 46 to project the clampingmechanism to its rearward position where it will receive within itsfield ,of action the filling extending from the selvage to the shuttlewhich has been shifted to inactive position.

During the normal weaving operation, the filling ends 89 extending tothe inactive shuttles are held clamped in the clamping mechanism, asshown in Fig. l, and hang loosely. There is no particular-strain onthese fillings and while the clamping mechanism is nor- Cir mallyclosed, still these filling ends will not withdraw from the clampingmechanism when open because the friction engagement with the fixedclamping members, especially when serrated, as shown in Fig. 6, is sum--cient to hold them in place. But when an inactive shuttle is shifted toactive position, the clamping mechanism is closed before it starts onits pick, so that the end extending to this shuttle is firmlyheldwhenvthe first. pick is laid.

Thus the invention provides means which entirely prevents the formationof the undo, sirable loops along the selvage ot" the fabric and whichmay beembodied in a wide variety of mechanisms suitable for any form ofshifting shuttle box loom.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising filling clamping mechanismlocated normally out of position to receive a. filling extending fromthe selvage to an inactive shut the and means actuated upon each shiftof the shuttle boxes to cause the clamping mechanism to move into aposition to receive such a filling.

2. A shiftipg. shuttle box loom comprising the construction defined inclaim '1, together with means actuated by the lay on the beatup to causethe clamping mechanism to clamp the said filling and to move theclamp-'- ing mechanism to the said normal location.

clamped between the selvage and the said clampin mechanism,

4. As ifting shuttle box loom comprising a filling clamping mechanismlocatedadjacent, and bodily movable alongside, the selvage on thedropbox side, a spring acting normally to project the clamping mechanismrearward of the fell to bring within its field a filling .extending fromthe selvage to a shuttle in inactive position, a latch to hold said.clamping mechanism retracted out of position to receive such a filling,means for releasing the latch upon a shifting of the-shuttle boxes, andmeans actuated by the lay on the beat-up to restorethe'elampingmechanism to retracted position.

5. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising a filling clamping mechanismlocated adjacent, and bodily movable alongside, the selvage on the dropbox side, a spring acting normally to project-the clamping mechanism"rearward of the fell to bring within its field ing the clamping membersand releasing the,

latch upon a shifting of the shuttle boxes to cause the clampingmechanism to be projected forward open.

6. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising the construction defined inclaim 5, together with means actuated by the lay on the beatup to closethe clamping members and restore the clamping mechanism to retractedposition.

7. A'shifting shuttle box loom com ris ing filling clamping mechanismlocate adjacent, and bodily movable alongs de, the selvage on the dropbox side, a spring acting normally to project the clamping mechanismrearward of the fell to bring within its field a filling extending fromthe'sclvage to a shuttle in inactive position, a latch to hold saidclamping mechanism retracted out of position to receive such a filling,a latch release, an actuator mounted on a stationary part of theloom'and movable proportionately withthe shifting movement of the boxes,striker members, one less in number than the boxes, carried by theactuator, a switch device on the latch release in the path of thestriker members operated, when the actuator moves in one direction, by astriker member to effect a releasing movement of the latch and movableto allow the passage of the striker members when the actuator moves inthe other direction, and a converter device in the path of the strikermembers operated, when the actuator moves in the latter direction, by astriker member to engage the switch device and effect a releasingmovement of the latch and acting, when the actuator moves in the formerdirection, to allow the passage of the striker members.

8.7A shifting shuttle box loom compris ing filling clamping mechanismlocated adjacent, and bodily movable alongside, the

selvage. on the drop box side, a spring acting normally to project theclamping mechanism rearward of the fell to bring within its field afilling extending from the selvage to a shuttle in inactive position, alatch to hold said clamping mechanism retracted out of position toreceive such a filling, a

latch release, a rod mounted on a fixed part of the loom, connected tothe box shifting mechanism and actuated thereby to move proportionatelywith the shifting movement of the boxes, striker arms, one less innumber than the boxes, projecting laterally in parallelism from the rodand spaced apart a distance equal to one unit of movement of the rod, aswitch on the latch release in the path of the striker arms operativeupon the downward movement of the rod to release the latch and movableto allow the passage of the striker arms upon the upward movement of therod, a converter lever having one arm extending over said switch, and asecond switch on the other arm of the converter lever in the path of thestriker arms operative upon the upward movement of the rod to rock thelever to release the latch and movable to allow the passage of thestriker arms upon the downward movement of the rod.

9. A shifting shuttle box loomcompris ing filling clamping and partingmechanism located adjacent the selvage on the drop box side andmeans tocause said mechanism after a shuttle is shifted from active to inactiveposition to clamp the filling extendmg from the selvage'to the inactiveshuttle and to part the said filling between the selvage and the pointat which it is clamped.

clamped when the said shuttle lays its first.

pick after being restored to active position and meansfor parting saidfilling between the selvage clamped.

11. A loom einployinga plurality of filling carriers, each of which isindependently active in the weaving operation, together with means forthrowing any one of the filling carriers out of and another into actionand means for restoring the former filling carrier into action .vithoutforming a loop of filling from said filling carrier along the selvege.

12. A loom employing a plurality of Billinn carriers, each of which isindependently active in the weaving operation, together with means forthrowing any one of said filling carriers out of action and restoring itinto action, means for seizing the filling extending; to such fillingcarrier "when out of action and means for parting said filling betweenthe eelvage and the point at which it is seized.

13. ll shitting shuttle box loom comprising rneane :lor seizing adjacentthe selvage a filling extending to n shuttle in inactive position, meansfor then severing the said and the point at "which i anisni rearward ofthe fell to bring Within.

its field a. filling; extending from the selva'ge to a shuttle ininactive position, a latch to hold said clamping mechanism retracted outof position to receive such a filling, a latch release, an actuatormounted on a stationary part of the loom and movable proportionatelywith the shifting movement of the boxes, and means controlled by theactuator to effect a releasing; movement of the latch upon a shift ofthe boxes in either direction.

in testimony wliereol; l have signed my name to this specification.

ED'WAll-l) A. CUNEHFF.

